For starters, I wanted to make a healthy treat that our 10-year old son would like. And not just in a saying-you-like-it-to-be-nice kind of way, like the way I used to feel about my dad’s wheat germ and lecithin-laced health shakes when I was growing up. No — I wanted legit LIKE. As in, can we have this every night, mommy?

I also wanted to offer an easy, but delicious, dairy-free treat for my private clients, and the people who sign up for my Camp Kale group program. So many of my clients are sensitive to dairy — either they’re lactose-intolerant, or they can’t process casein, the protein found in milk and milk products.

Here’s the weird thing about dairy sensitivity — it can come on as we get older. As with many things we could get away with when we were younger — eating pizza every day, partying without hangovers, losing our vacation weight after two stints on the stairmaster — dairy can become one of those things that simply doesn’t work for us anymore.

How can we tell if it’s not working for us? The best way is to eliminate it for a week or two. If your symptoms start to dissipate — and you start feeling better — then there’s a chance dairy may be giving you some drama.

And if you do end up being one of those people who needs to minimize dairy, now you can feel better while still having your ice cream, too — “nice cream,” that is.

What’s nice cream?

Nice cream is a treat you make by blending up frozen fruit — usually bananas — in a blender until you get a mixture that resembles soft-serve ice cream.

This recipe is really best tried in a high-speed blender such as a Vitamix, or a food processor.

Do you really need a high speed blender?

I know buying a Vitamix is a big jump. It’s expensive, and when I bought mine 10 years ago at Costco, I was completely freaked out, and instantly had buyer’s remorse. Money was tight, and I was afraid to tell my husband how much I had just spent on a new blender, especially since we had a regular one that seemed to work just fine. Unless you wanted to blend frozen bananas. Or dates. Or ice. Which was kind of a problem since I wanted to up my smoothie game.

When I made my first smoothie and saw how powerful the Vitamix was — and how yummy and creamy my smoothie turned out — I was hooked. Since then, I’ve used my Vitamix 2-3 times a day. Yes, multiple times a day! Ten years later, it’s still cranking out delicious smoothies, superfood hot chocolate and golden milk, soup, marinades, sauces — and, now, nice cream. And it’s still crushing it like the day I brought it home.

Back to why you will love this nice cream

This recipe is so simple it blows my mind: frozen bananas, cacao powder, and chocolate chips. If needed, you can add a little liquid to get things going in the blender. But it isn’t necessary.

Here’s one last thing you need to know about this recipe — you’re going to spend some time pausing the blending process so you can scrape down the sides. This is because you’re blending frozen fruit with very little (or no) liquid. That’s why I wouldn’t try this in a regular blender. The recipe requires a lot of power — like you’d find in a Vitamix or food processor. And even though you’ll put in a little extra work scraping down the sides — or using the tamping tool that comes with a high speed blender — the results are totally worth it.

So, yes, this recipe requires a bit more work than your usual smoothie, but I think you’re really going to love it. Here’s why: it’s…

So simple: 4 ingredients!

Guilt free: no added sugar, just sweetness from the bananas

Family-friendly: it’s a great way to get your kiddos excited about real food

Creamy and lush, just like regular ice cream

Energizing: you’ll get a little lift from the combination of fruit and cacao

Satisfying: deep, dark chocolate flavor

Ready to try the recipe?

Ready for a delicious, chocolatey treat? Great! Just click on the green box below for the recipe.

And remember to tag me on Instagram if you try the recipe. I love seeing your kitchen creations!